Stephen Jones Says Cowboys 'Far From Done' Hunting Defensive Help

The Cowboys aren't calling training camp the finish line — they're calling it a starting point. Executive vice president Stephen Jones went on 105.3 The Fan Friday and made it plain: Dallas is actively working the phones on both trades and veteran free-agent signings, and he'd be surprised if the current defensive starters all survive to Week 1.

This isn't idle camp chatter. Owner Jerry Jones already teased a trade conversation he'd had with another owner earlier in the week, and Dallas spent the offseason chasing real names — the team pursued a trade for Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby and never backed off even after Baltimore's deal for Crosby fell apart. Stephen Jones summed it up bluntly: the Cowboys are far from done.

The targets fit the holes. Dallas needs a pass rusher and an inside linebacker, and the front office is leaning into a specific philosophy — older players with tread left on the tires who can plug in immediately. Jones said help could arrive as a trade or as a veteran signing as camp rolls on.

What Dallas Actually Needs

The inside linebacker picture is the clearest. Dallas had genuine interest in Jordyn Brooks this offseason, but the Dolphins' asking price was too steep, and Miami later locked Brooks up on a three-year, $51.3 million deal. That ship has sailed, which is why former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus — now on 105.3 — pointed listeners elsewhere while the team keeps shopping.

Veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner remains unsigned, and a name like that fits the 'tread on the tires' blueprint perfectly. On the edge, the Crosby pursuit tells you Dallas is thinking big, not bargain-bin. Whether they can actually land a difference-maker at that price point is the open question.

The Fantasy Fallout

Let's be clear about what this means for your roster, because right now it's more about ripple effects than a single plug-and-play add. The biggest beneficiary of a legit pass-rush addition is Micah Parsons. Give offenses a second edge threat to account for and Parsons sees cleaner one-on-one looks — that's good news if you're in an IDP league carrying him as a cornerstone.

A new inside linebacker is the trickier one for IDP managers. Bobby Wagner, if he signs, is a proven tackle machine and would immediately become a startable IDP piece in most formats given his volume history. But a rotational veteran or a lesser trade acquisition won't move the needle — don't burn a bench spot speculating on a name that isn't official.

The losers here are the incumbents. Stephen Jones flat-out said the starting defense could change, which puts any Cowboys defender you're rostering on watch. If you're holding a fringe Dallas linebacker for tackle volume, understand his snap share could shrink the moment a veteran walks in the door.

There's also the team-defense angle. If Dallas genuinely upgrades the pass rush and the second level, the Cowboys DST becomes a sneakier streaming option in favorable matchups than it looked a month ago. Nothing to draft early over, but worth flagging.

Bottom line: no one to add today, but plenty to monitor. Hold your Cowboys IDP pieces, keep tabs on the Wagner situation, and treat any edge addition as a quiet buy-up signal for Micah Parsons rather than a reason to chase the new arrival.